Bulk freight container



Sept. 13, 1932. J. o'coNNoR 1,877,028 I lBULK FREIGHT CONTAINER SePt-13, 1932- J. F. ocoNNoR y 1,877,028

` BULK FREIGHT CONTAINER Filed Nov. 17,. 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 'ff ,f6 Hff Z Sept. 13, 1932.

J. F. OCQNNOR BULK FREIGHT CONTAINER Filed Nov. '17, 195o 3 Sheets-Sheetnonlll ol... ll

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Patented Sept. 13, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN F. OCONNOR, OFCHICAGO, ILLIENOIS, ASSIGNOR TO W. H. EINER, ING., OF CHIGAG, ILLINOIS,CORPORATION `0F DELAWARE BULK FREIGHT CGNTAINER Application led November17, 1980.-.Seria1 No. 498.138.

individually dumped.

A further object of the invention is t o provide a carrier means of thecharacter speeliied ifi the preceding paragraph, wherein each individualcontainer is provided with a dumping bottom'so arranged that thecontainer will rest squarely on the floor of the car when placedtherein.

A still further and more specific object of the invention is to providea dumping con-` tainer for bulk freight adapted to be supported on thefloor of a car, wherein the container has a raised bottom wall memberincluding dumping doors.

Another object of the invention is to )rovide a container of thecharacter described in the preceding paragraph, wherein the dumpingbottom is of the hopper type, having hinged doors, andmeans is providedfor actuating the doors and holding the ksame locke v Stillanotherobject of the invention is to provide a bulk freight container inthe form of a box-like member, open at the top, and having a bottomprovided/ with dumping doors, wherein the container is protected againstinjury by interior inclined baiile plates which break .the impact of thebulk' material dropped into the container while 'the same is beingloaded.

Other objects of the invention willl more clearly appear. from thevdescription and claims' hereinafter following. In the drawings forming apart ofthis -speciiicationyFigure 1 is a perspective view of the bodyofy :ag gondola type of freight car showing a plurality of bulk freightcontainers therewithim'and illustrating the general arrangement offreight carrier means. Figure 2 is a top plan I vview of one of the'individual freight containers employed in connection with my immyimproved bulk proved carrier means. *'.Fig-ure 3 is a vertical,

sectional view corresponding substantially to the line 3-3 of Figure 2.-Figure 4 is avertical, sectional view corresponding substan-A tia1ly\tothe line 4-4 of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a horizontal, sectional view,correspondin g' substantially to theline 5- 5 of Figure 3.

Flgure 6v is a detailed end'elevational View of' a certain ratchet and4cooperating locking pawl, employed in connection with -certain dumpingmechanism ofmy improved construction, and also showing the operating bartherefor, partly broken away. And Figure 7 is a plan view of a specialform of wrench employed in connectlon with my improvements..

`In carrying out my invention, as illustrated in said' drawings, I'employ a railway car A, preferably of thegondola type, and

a plurality of box-like bulk freight containers B--B contained therein.lThe body of the gondola car only isillustrated in the drawings, thetrucks and other details being omitted as they do not form an essentialpart `of the invention; W

The containers B-B are preferably all Aof the same 'size and are soproportioned that an ordinary gondola car contains twelve of the samearranged in two rows lengthwise of the car. e

A s shown in Figures 2 to 5 inclusive, each container Bis of rectangularbox-like form and open at the top'. .Each container has spaced, verticalside walls:10'-10, spaced, vertical end walls 11-11 and a' bottom wall,said bottom wallincluding a section 12 and four fromv one ofthe'sidewalls 10 to the` other and has araised central portion lcomprising thesection 12, as clearly shown inv Figure 3, said section being vof vtheoutline 'shown in Figure 5-and having downwardly inclined lower edgesspaced from the end walls 11-7-11. The sections 13-13'are ofl triangularoutline, as shown in Figure 5, and are inclined downwardlyv and'inwardly from the side walls 10-10, being xed'to the latter and to thesides, the bottom edges of whichtermnate slightlyabove the lower edgesof the side and end walls of the container and have the` section' byiianges 48--48, as shown.

lDumping openings are. thus provided at opposite ends of the\container,'which are normally closed by inclined door members .14-14,hereinafter more fully described. The bottom wall section 12 ispreferably formed from a single piece of sheet metal material bent intoV-shape form as shown, and having" its opposite ends flanged and rivetedto the side walls 10-10 of the container. `In order toprotect the edgeat the angularly bent portion of the, sheet metal plate, the same iscovered by an angle bar 15, which is riveted thereto. The top and bottomedges of the side and end walls of the container are suitablyreinforced, as shown, by angle bars 16-16, which are riveted to saidwalls, as clearly illustrated in Figure 3.

The anglebars, as' shown, have the vertical flanges thereof secured tothe walls of the container; The lreinforcing angle bars 16 at the'bottomend of the@ container have their horizontal flanges inv alinement withthe loweredges ofthe side and end'walls of the container., therebyforming with said lower edges of the walls a base member or portion lwhereby the container is squarely supported on a flat surface such as afloor of arailway car. Such a'flatfsurfaceis indicated by the 'dottedlines 17e-17in Figure- 3. The angle bars 16, which reinforce the open'upper end v of the container have their horizontal anges,

u re 2. Each container is also provided with..

an eye bolt j19 at each corner to which a ring 20 is' secured. As shownmost clearly in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the eye bolts extend through 'blocks21,' which'are secured withinthe cor- 11ers of the container at the'topthereof. As

'will be evident, the eye bolts with the ati tached rings'20 at 'thefour corners of the con` tainer, provide means whereby the container ymay be'lifted and handled, the rings serving as connecting means forythey usual supporting and lifting chains of a derrick or crane wherebythecontainers are handled.

-Adjacent the bottom'of the container, each end wall `11 hashorizontallydisposed hinge membersl 22-"22v secured to the inner side thereof, thesame'being formed'with hinge eye'portionsy 23-23, which cooperate withsimilar hinge eye y'portions provided. on the" corresponding dumpingdoor 14, the door 14 being connected to the hinge members 22--22' bymeans ofthe usualhinge'pin 24'. Asclearly shown'in Figure 3,`the hingemembers for' the doors 14 are spaced such a distance above `vv`theylowerl extremity of the container that whenI l'the 'doors `are in closedposition, the lower edges thereoffwilllie 'above the plane 'offthe'iioorYline 17%417, is the doors will" be disposed entirely`V of the containerwhen closed. As clearly indicated in Figure 3, the plates, forming thedoor members 14 are preferably corrugated to reinforce the same. Thedoors 14 are of such a length that the lower or outer ends thereofproject below the lower vend ledges of the plate sectionf12, forming thefixedjrais'ed l or floor member12 of the container. As Jmost clearlyshown -in Figure 4, four such bearing members are employed. Each bearingmember has a plurality of horizontal arms 27'27 extending therefrom,which arms are riveted tothe plate-like sections. of theefixed bottom 12of the container. The

shaft .25 has a winding element or drum 28 fixed thereto, which drum isprovided'with a pair of spiral winding grooves 29-29 with which chains30--30 connected to the' doors 14-14 cooperate. As shown most clearly inFigure 3, each v'chain 80 is 'connected'to the corresponding door bymeans of a turn buckle 31 connected to an eye In'ember 32 in the'forrnof a castingor lug fixed to the lower extremity of the correspondingdoor 14. The winding shaft -25 hasrat'chet members 334-33 fixedl toopposite ends thereof with each of which a locking dog'orA pawl 34cooperates.

The locking dogs or pawls 34.-34, which are' disposed at opposite sidesof the container, interiorly thereof, are fixed to a shaft 35 ro-`tatably supported in bearing openings {S6-+36' 'provided at the lowerJends'. of the bearing blocks ory members 26d-26. "As will be evident,the two locking dogs are thus operated in unison. Each: locking dog orp'awl 34 is provided `with a'lateral extension 37 having acylindricalprojection or boss 38 thereon which extends through the`corresponding side wall 10 of the container. Exteriorly of said wall,the `lug 38 is provided with a diametrical bore or opening adaptedtoreceive g, an operating bar 39by which' the dog mayr be manipulated. Aswill be evident,when

the dogs 34 are-engaged'witli the ratchetl members33', as shown inFigures 4 and 6,vv

the winding shaft 25 is ylocked vagainst rota-iv tion, thereby holdingthe doors in' the closed 4 position shownrin Figure 3fy When it is de-v-siredto open thedoors, the locking dogs 34 are releasedbymanipulatingeither one of the same through the medium yof the bar 39.

As will be evident,`when one of thelocking dogs 34 isoperated, the shaft35 willbe ro tated, thereby .operatingzthe' other locking dog in asimilar manner.A vInforder to close the doors 14-,14 after "a dui'npingoperation, i

the Shaft 25 is fotaned, so as to wind the chains] 30-530- on'v the`rFor. this' purpose,

lso L the shaft 2 5 is provided vwith operating means at opposite endsthereof, which may be manipulated bythe wrench member shown 1n Figure 7.In the present instance, each ratchet member-33 has ,an outwardlyprojecting cross-likeportion 40, formed integral therewith. The portion40 is provided with four radial slots l11--41, thereby providingengaging lugs with which the wrench, shown n Figure 7 may cooperate. Theshaft 25 of the operating means is preferably in the form ofxa hollowtube, the opening thereof being indicated by 42. The castings formingthe ratchet members 33 andthe operating means engageable by the wrench,show'n in Figure 7, are fixed to the oppositevv ends of the shaft 25,being preferably secured thereto by means of kevvs43. As shown in Figure7 the special wrench employed has a pair of operating handles 44-44 andinwardly offset sections 45-45 connected by a traverse bar-like portion46 having a rounded bar-like centralprojection 47, The projection '47 isadapted to engage within the opening of the hollow tubular shaft 25while the transverse bar-like section 46' engages within two opposedslots or openings 41-41 of the correspondin'g boss 40 `of the operatingmeans.` In closing the doors, the .wrench member shown in Figure 7 isengaged with one ofthe operating ends of the shaft 25, as hereinbeforedescribed, and rotated in the proper direction to wind the chains 30--30on the winding-drum 2 8. Inasmuch as the locking dogs-or bolts 34,-34are gravity influenced, the same will prevent unwinding of the chainsand when the doors have fully closed -will`lock the same in saidposition.

Each container B is provided with a plurality of interior baffle plates,which are preferably four in number, and arranged as shown in thedrawings. The four plates comprise two plates 49-49 and 50--50. Theplates 49.-49 are of the same design, and as `shown are provided withlongitudinal reinforcing corrugations.v The plates-50-50, as mostclearly shown in Figure 2, are provided with transverse. reinforcingcorrugations. The plates 49-49 are disposed at diagonally opposite,corners of the container and each plate'has theupper outer edge thereofsecured to the corresponding end wall 11 of the container. lThe lowerend of each baffle plate 49'isvsupported by a beam 51 centrally disposedofy the container and extending from one of the sidefwalls 10 to theother, having its opposite ends riveted to said walls. Y The supportingbeam 51 has inclined supporting flanges 52-52 at opposite sides thereof,said flanges being alternated and each extending for half the length ofthe beam 51. As clearly shown in Figure 3, the lower end portions of theplates 49--49 are riveted -to the flanges 52 of the beam 51. .The beam51 notA f only provides a support for the lower ends of the baffleplates'49-'49, but in addition serves to brace the opposed side walls10-10 of lthe container'. Thebaflle plates 50-50 arealso disposed atdiagonally opposite corners of the container, each baillev plate beinginclined, as clearly shown in Figure 4, and

rhaving the'upper end portion'thereof riveted tothe corresponding sidewally l0 of the container. The lower ends of the plates 50-50 aresupported by a beam 53 extending from one end wall 11 to the other,centrally of the container, and disposed above the beam 51, as shownmost clearly in. Figures 3 and 4. v

The beam 53is provided with flanges 57-57, similar to the flanges 52-52,hereinbefore described in connection with the beam 51, and the loweredge portions of the plates 50-50 are riveted to said flanges 5757. Inaddition to serving as a support for the lower also braces the opposed.endwalls 11-11 of the container. Asv will be clear upon reference toFigures 2, 3 and 4, the baffle plates 49-49 and 50`50 are so disposedthat when bulk material is dropped into the container the impact of thefall thereof will be broken and distributed. It is further pointed outthat the lower end edges of adjacent baille plates 49 and 50 arestaggered in height,

vthereby permitting free passage of the bulk material from the top ofthe container to the bottom thereof.

As will be clear-from the preceding del material at one point and thenloaded within a car and conveyed to another point for use, the samebeing lifted out ofthe car by a crane, derrick or other hoisting"apparatus in the manner hereinbefore described, the lifting chains ofthe derrick or other device being attached to the rings 20-20 at thefour corners of each container. When it is desiredto empty the load ofthe'container, the dumping doors are opened in the manner hereinbeforedescribed, thereby permitting the contents to drop from the bottom ofthc container,

, By providing the arrangement of dumping doors wherein .the lower edgesof the same are within the confines of the lower limits of thecontainers, it is assured that each container willrest flatly on theHoor of the car, `the bottom v edge portions of the side and end wallsof the container serving to form a true base member. Ashereinbeforepointed out, the containers are all of the same size and ofAs will be like` construction and are so proportioned that they will litwithin a car so as to utilize the space provided therein to the greatestadvantage. In order to prevent accidental displacement'of the containersin transit, each container is provided with two sets of lugs 58--59 ateach side thereof, as clearly shown .in dotted lines in Figure 5. Thelugs 59 are preferably arranged in .pairs, as shown, so aas'to receivethe usual stake member of the car therebetween. The lug '58 on the sameside of the container enga es one side of another stake ofthe car. elugs 58 and 59 are duplicated at opposite sides of the container,whereby the container will properly cooperate with the stakes of the carin either position of the same, that is with either sideof the containerturned outwardly.

. Although iny improved containers B have been .herein shown as used incombination with a `gondola type of freight car, it will be evident thatthe saine may be employed with any kind of a car, includin box carshaving l a flat' floor member on which the containers may rest whilebeing carried.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferredmanner of'carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrativeand I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the'scope of the claims appended hereto.`

I claim:

1. A b k freight container of rectangular .boit-like `orm open at' thetop and having inclined bottomdumping doors, said doors being entirelywithin the limits of the bottoni edge of the container, said bottom edgelying.

infa single planeto rest on a flat licor. of a i Cal'.

said container having a base portion lying in closed. I

7 a single plane and adaptedto rest on a flat support, said base portionforming extensions .of the vertical walls thereof and having the' bottomedge thereof disposed in alineiient with the bottom edges of the doors'wliei'iy 3.-In a bulk top and having verticalside walls, said con-ytainer having aV base portion orming a con tinuation ofl said sidewalls, lying in asin'gle plane and ada ted to rest squarely u on av Bat.support, t e bottom edge' of sai base member forming the bottomliinits-of'- said container, said container having 'a bottom dumping'opening; a door hingedto said container and swingable to an inclinedposition within thelowerlimits'of said container to close said opening.

4. In a bulk freight container, o n at the'.

top and having vertical side walls, e bottom Y Yedges of Lwhich form abase portion adapted to rest squarely on a flat support, said containertop and having 'a having a bottom wall, and a swinging .dumption adaptedto rest squarely on a flat support,

said container .having a bottom wall including a plurality o'f inclinedhinged dumping doors each door beinghinged at the upper' en thereof to-said container at such a distance above the bottom limits of thecontainer that the lower edge of said door when closed is disposedwithin the lower limits of said container.

6. In a bulk freight container havingl opposed spaced en'd and opposedspaced side walls open at the top and fixed bottom wall having a raisedcentral portion, said bottom wall being disposed entirely,within/thecontainer and being spaced fromI each of the walls of one ofsaid opposed sets to provide dumping openings; inclined dump doors forclosing said openings, ea'ch of said doors being hinged .at the upperend torone of said last named side walls and having, when closed, thelower edge thereof cooperating with the adjacent edge of the bottom walland tainer.

disposed within the lower lnits of said con- 7. In a bulk freight continer having opposed spaced end' walls and opposed spaced side walls,said container'being open at the top, and the lower' end of said sideand end walls forming a-base portion adapted to rest squarely on asupport, said container having hopper discharge means at the bottom portion thereof, said discharge means including a fixed bottom wall'sectionand cooperating dumping doors, said fixed wall extending Afrom one ofsaid sidewalls to the other and having a central raised portion withdownwardly inclined sides disposed entirely above 'f the bottom limitsof the container and spaced freight container, open at the;

from the end walls respectively, thereby prowitl'iin the lowerliinitstofsaid container. y c

-8. In a' bulkfrei ht container open at'the portion adapted to restsquarely on allat'jsupport and hinged bottom doors of means foroperating said doorsjincluding a winding` element and flexible meansadapted to be wound.

thereon,said flexible lmeans beingl connected to said doors, saidwinding: means being 4disposed entirelyalfove the bottom limits ofsaidbase portion-,fand lsaidv dumping doors ,and being adapted to restsquarely on a fiat support, said container having hopper dis- L Y chargemeans at the bottom thereof including a'ixed bottom wall member andcooperv ating hinge doors which, when closed, are disposed entirelywithin the bottom limits of said base portion, and winding means foractuating said doors, said winding means being disposed within thebottom limits of said base portion and underneath said bottom wallmember thereof.

10. A. bulk freight container, said container being of rectangularbox-like form open at the top, said container having dumping doors atthe bottom thereof, and inclined bafle plates between said doors and thetop of the container.

11. A bulk freight container having a dumping bottom and a plurality ofinterior baffle plates, each of said plates being inclined downwardlytowards the central portion of the container. y

12. A bulk freight container of rectangular box-like form havingvertical side walls, a dumping bottom and a plurality of baffle plates,one of said plates being fixed to each wall and inclined downwardly andinwardly therefrom, and the lower inner edges of each of said baileplates being staggered with respect to the next adjacent plate.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 18th day of November 1930.

JOHN F. OCONNOR.

